Method and system for automatically collecting payment for a credit account

ABSTRACT

A method for automatically collecting payment for a credit account includes determining if a credit account is delinquent and determining the number of days the credit account is delinquent. The method includes automatically collecting a first amount from a first account if the number of days the credit account is delinquent comprises at least a first number of days and crediting the credit account the first amount. The first account may comprise a checking account, and the first number of days may comprise twenty days.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates in general to the field of credit accountmanagement and, more particularly, to a method and system forautomatically collecting payment for a credit account.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A credit card issuer, such as a bank or other financial institution,generally provides credit accounts to consumers, or cardholders,allowing the consumers to make purchases on credit rather than usingcash. The consumer incurs debt with each credit card purchase which maybe repaid over time according to the terms and conditions of theparticular consumer's credit account. Credit card accounts provide aconsumer with one or more lines of credit, typically including at leastone revolving credit line in which the consumer may choose to either paythe full amount of debt owed on his account by a specified date or deferpayment of at least a portion of the debt to a later date. The creditcard issuer typically charges the consumer interest or finance chargesfor such deferred payments during the period of deferral.

The credit card issuer typically establishes a credit limit for eachcredit account defining the maximum amount of credit available to theconsumer for making purchases at any given time. When a consumer makes acredit card purchase, the amount of credit available to the consumer,often called the “available balance,” is reduced by the amount of thepurchase; and the amount of debt currently owed by the consumer, oftencalled the “outstanding balance,” is increased by the amount of thepurchase.

The credit card issuer typically requires the consumer to pay at least apredetermined minimum amount, often called the “minimum payment amount,”by a certain date, often called the “payment due date,” in order tomaintain the account in good standing. If such minimum payment amount isnot paid by the payment due date, then the account typically goes intodelinquent or “past due” status. The account may remain in delinquentstatus until the minimum payment is made. If the account remains indelinquent status for a certain period of time, then the credit cardissuer reports the account as delinquent to a credit bureau. Suchdelinquent reports negatively affect the consumer's ability to receivecredit in the future.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a method and system for automaticallycollecting payment for a credit account that substantially eliminates orreduces at least some of the disadvantages and problems associated withprevious methods and systems.

In accordance with a particular embodiment of the present invention, amethod for automatically collecting payment for a credit accountincludes determining if a credit account is delinquent and determiningthe number of days the credit account is delinquent. The method includesautomatically collecting a first amount from a first account if thenumber of days the credit account is delinquent comprises at least afirst number of days and crediting the credit account the first amount.The first account may comprise a checking account, savings account orother type of account. The first number of days may comprise ten,twenty, thirty or another number of days.

In accordance with another embodiment, a system for automaticallycollecting payment for a credit account includes a database operable tostore information for a credit account. The information may includepayment history for the credit account. The system also includes amodule operable to determine if the credit account is delinquent anddetermine the number of days the credit account is delinquent. Themodule is also operable to automatically collect a first amount from afirst account if the number of days the credit account is delinquentcomprises at least a first number and credit the credit account thefirst amount.

Technical advantages of particular embodiments of the present inventioninclude a method for automatically collecting payment for a creditaccount that automatically collects an amount from a credit accountconsumer's other account, such as a checking account, when the creditaccount is delinquent by a certain number of days. Such collection maybring the credit account out of delinquency and avoid a negative reportto a credit bureau on behalf of the consumer. This is advantageousbecause such a report would negatively affect the consumer's creditrating. Thus, the consumer is provided with insurance against negativereports to a credit bureau because of delinquent payments. Furthermore,losses by the credit card issuer may be reduced since the credit accountprovider will be able to collect a minimum payment before a consumer'scredit rating may be further negatively damaged. The credit accountprovider may also be able to attract more consumers who care about theircredit future, or better consumers, by providing this service.

Other technical advantages will be readily apparent to one skilled inthe art from the following figures, descriptions and claims. Moreover,while specific advantages have been enumerated above, variousembodiments may include all, some or none of the enumerated advantages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of particular embodiments of theinvention and their advantages, reference is now made to the followingdescriptions, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 illustrates an example system for handling credit card accounts,in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates an example system for handling transactions in whichpayments are made using credit cards, in accordance with an embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates an example credit card issuer, in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a method for automatically collecting payment for acredit account, in accordance with a particular embodiment of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Example embodiments of the present invention and their advantages arebest understood by referring now to FIGS. 1 through 4 of the drawings,in which like numerals refer to like parts. In general, a consumerhaving a credit card account is offered a service in which the issuer ofthe credit card account automatically collects payment for the accountwhen the consumer is late in making a payment by a certain period oftime (i.e., a certain number of days). The automatic collection ofpayment may prevent a negative report from the credit card issuer to acredit bureau on behalf of the consumer that may negatively affect theconsumer's credit rating. The automatic collection of payment may bereceived from a checking or other type of account of the consumer. Suchautomatic collection only occurs when the credit card account isdelinquent by a certain period of time, for example, in contrast to aregularly scheduled automatic collection of payment (i.e., a monthlypayment). Example embodiments of the present invention are describedbelow.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example system 10 for handling credit cardaccounts. System 10 may include a credit card issuer 12, one or moreconsumers 14, one or more financial institutions 15, one or more creditbureaus 16, and an automated clearinghouse (ACH) 17, all of which may becoupled to each other through a communications network 18. Credit cardissuer 12 and consumers 14 may communicate with each other regardingcredit card accounts using communications network 18. For example, aconsumer 14 may contact credit card issuer 12 using communicationsnetwork 18 to open a credit card account, make inquiries or requestsregarding a credit card account, make payments to credit card issuer 12,or close a credit card account. Credit card issuer 12 may similarlycontact consumer 14 to, among other things, offer a credit card toconsumer 14, make inquiries regarding recent charges posted to a creditcard account, remind consumer 14 of payments due, or notify consumer 14of the status of a credit card account (i.e., delinquent, good standing,etc.).

Although credit card issuer 12 and consumers 14 are described ascommunicating with each other using communications network 18, thepresent invention contemplates any suitable form of communicationbetween credit card issuer 12 and consumers 14. For example, a consumer14 may communicate with credit card issuer 12 by telephone to makeinquiries or requests regarding a credit card account or by mail to makea payment to credit card issuer 12. Similarly, credit card issuer 12 maycommunicate with a consumer 14 by mail to offer a credit card toconsumer 14.

Credit card issuer 12 may communicate with credit bureau 16 usingcommunications network 18 to obtain credit information or to makereports regarding consumers 14, as described more fully below. Creditcard issuer 12 may also communicate with financial institution 15 usingcommunications network 18 to collect payments from an account ofconsumer 14 provided by financial institution 15 through ACH 17, as morefully described below.

A consumer 14 (which may also be referred to as a cardholder 14) mayinclude an individual, a group of individuals, a business organization,or any other suitable entity to which credit card issuer 12 may issueone or more credit cards and/or provide one or more lines of credit. Acredit bureau 16 may provide credit information to credit card issuer 12regarding consumers 14. Credit information may include credit historyinformation, payment information, personal information regardingoccupation, income, home ownership, or any other suitable information.In particular embodiments, a credit bureau 16 may include TRANS UNION,EQUIFAX, EXPERIAN, or any other credit bureau. Communications network 18may, in particular embodiments, include one or more local area networks(LANs), metropolitan area networks (MANs), wide area networks (WANs),portions of the Internet, or any other appropriate wireline, optical,wireless, or other links.

Credit card issuer 12 may include any suitable entity that issues creditcards to consumers 14 and/or provides lines of credit, such as revolvinglines of credit, for purchases or other transactions by consumers 14.For example, in particular embodiments credit card issuer 12 may includea merchant or other bank or a credit union. In addition to purchases,such as those described herein, particular embodiments of the presentinvention contemplate any suitable transactions in which payments may bemade using credit cards. For example, a consumer 14 may use a creditcard to rent or lease one or more items.

Credit card issuer 12 may issue any suitable credit cards. Such creditcards may include MASTERCARD, VISA, DISCOVER, DINERS CLUB, JCB or othersuitable credit cards. Credit cards issued by credit card issuer 12 mayinclude general purpose credit cards (which may be used to purchase anumber of different items associated with a number of differentindustries from a number of different merchants), private label cards(which may be used to purchase only items associated with a particularindustry or items from only one or more particular merchants), or both.Although cards are particularly described herein, particular embodimentsof the present invention contemplate, in addition to credit cardaccounts having associated cards issued to consumers 14, credit accountsthat do not have associated cards. For example, credit card issuer 12may open a credit account for a consumer 14 having an associated creditaccount number but no associated card. Consumer 14 may then purchaseitems on credit using the associated credit account number. Reference to“credit cards” or “credit card accounts” may, where appropriate,encompass such credit accounts.

Credit card issuer 12 may manage credit card accounts, which may includeopening credit card accounts for consumers 14, monitoring credit cardaccounts, billing consumers 14, collecting payments from consumers 14 orother sources (such as a bank account of a consumer 14), receiving andhandling inquiries and requests from consumers 14 regarding credit cardaccounts, and closing credit card accounts. In particular embodiments,as described more fully below, opening a credit card account for aconsumer 14 may include establishing a line of credit according tocredit information from credit bureau 16 regarding consumer 14,information obtained from consumer 14 directly, one or more evaluationsof payments received from consumer 14, or other suitable information;establishing one or more terms of a credit card account agreementbetween credit card issuer 12 and consumer 14; and activating one ormore services which credit card issuer 12 may provide to consumer 14 inconnection with the credit card account. In accordance with one suchservice, the credit card issuer 12 automatically collects payment from aconsumer's checking account when the consumer's credit card account is acertain number of days delinquent, as further described below.

Financial institution 15 may include any suitable entity, such as abank, that provides to consumers 14 accounts which may contain fundsused to make a payment to credit card issuers 12 to be credited to acredit card or other credit account of consumer 14. Such accountsprovided by financial institution 15 may include checking, savings,investment, or other suitable accounts. Alternatively, such accounts mayinclude a line of credit provided to consumer 14 by a credit card issuerother than credit card issuer 12. The funds held in such accountsprovided by financial institution 15 may be deposited directly byconsumer 14, automatically by a debtor of consumer 14 or through othermeans.

ACH 17 is a system through which various entities, such as credit cardissuers 12 and financial institutions 15, may transfer funds. Paymentsfor a particular consumer's credit card account may be collected bycredit card issuer 12 from another account of the consumer provided byfinancial institution 15. In particular embodiments, such collection ofpayment may occur automatically through ACH 17. For example, after anauthorization by a consumer 14, credit card issuer 12 may requestpayment, through ACH 17, for the consumer's credit card account from achecking account of the consumer provided by financial institution 15.After clearance by ACH 17, the payment from the consumer's account atfinancial institution 15 is transferred to and received by credit cardissuer 12 through ACH 17 to be credited to the credit card account ofthe consumer.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example system 20 for handling transactions inwhich payments are made using credit cards. System 20 may include creditcard issuer 12 and one or more merchants 22, which may be coupled toeach other by communications network 18. A merchant 22 may include anysuitable entity that sells items to cardholders and may include a singleentity (such as, for example, an individual store) or a number ofentities (such as, for example, a chain of stores). A merchant 22 mayinclude a seller or distributor that sells items produced by one or moreotherwise unaffiliated producers. In addition or as an alternative,merchant 22 may include a producer that sells one or more items itproduces directly to cardholders, bypassing distributors.

Merchant 22 may include one or more outlets at one or more physicallocations and may, in addition or as an alternative, include one or morecall centers where phone orders are received from cardholders, one ormore websites or other virtual locations where electronic orders arereceived from cardholders, or one or more warehouses (which may be ownedby merchant 22 or owned by one or more entities distinct from merchant22 for which merchant 22 sells items to cardholders) where ordersreceived from cardholders are filled. Payment may be made for itemsprovided by merchant 22 using a general purpose card, private labelcard, or any other suitable credit card.

Although merchants 22 are described as selling items to consumers 14,particular embodiments of the present invention, as described above,contemplate any suitable transactions between merchants 22 and consumers14. As an example, a merchant 22 may rent or lease one or more items toa consumer 14. As another example, a merchant 22 may provide one or moreservices to a consumer 14.

Communications network 18 supporting communication between credit cardissuer 12 and merchant 22 may include, as described above, one or morelocal area networks (LANs), metropolitan area networks (MANs), wide areanetworks (WANs), portions of the Internet, or any other appropriatewireline, optical, wireless, or other links. Communications network 18may, where appropriate, include one or more private networks usedexclusively for communication between credit card issuer 12 and one ormore particular merchants 22. This may be the case where, for example,credit card issuer 12 provides lines of credit to consumers 14 topurchase items only at one or more particular merchants 22. Althoughcredit card issuer 12 and merchants 22 are described as distinctentities, in particular embodiments, credit card issuer 12 and one ormore merchants 22 may be part of a single organization. In particularembodiments, credit card issuer 12 may include one or more merchants 22.Moreover, in particular embodiments, one or more merchants 22 mayinclude credit card issuer 12.

A consumer 14 may purchase items from a merchant 22 in any suitablemanner. As an example, consumer 14 may purchase items from merchant 22at a store or other physical location operated by merchant 22. Asanother example, consumer 14 may purchase items from merchant 22 overthe telephone, by mail, or using the Internet or other suitablecommunications network (which may be similar to communications network18). Purchased items may be subsequently shipped to consumer 14 aftersuch purchase. When a consumer 14 purchases one or more items from amerchant 22, merchant 22 may generate an electronic record of thetransaction and communicate the generated record to credit card issuer12. A transaction record may be generated in any suitable manner, suchas at a point-of-sale terminal or other device, and may include anysuitable transaction data. For example, a transaction record may includedata reflecting a credit card number (or, as described above, a creditaccount number), data reflecting a transaction price, data identifyingmerchant 22, and data reflecting a transaction date. Credit card issuer12 may use the communicated transaction record to update the credit cardaccount of consumer 14 for billing and other purposes.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example credit card issuer 12. Credit card issuer12 may include one or more operator terminals 30, a data managementsystem 32, one or more function modules 34, and a database 36. Thecomponents of credit card issuer 12 may be located at a single site or,alternatively, at a number of different sites. The components of creditcard issuer 12 may be coupled to each other using one or more links,each of which may include one or more computer buses, local areanetworks (LANs), metropolitan area networks (MANs), wide area networks(WANs), portions of the Internet, or any other appropriate wireline,optical, wireless, or other links. An operator terminal 30 may providean operator access to data management system 32 to configure, manage, orotherwise interact with data management system 32. An operator terminal30 may comprise a computer system (which may include one or moresuitable input devices, output devices, processors and associatedmemory, mass storage media, communication interfaces, and other suitablecomponents) or other suitable device.

Data management system 32 may manage data associated with credit cardaccounts, which may in particular embodiments include creating,modifying, and deleting data files associated with credit card accountsautomatically or in response to data received from one or more operatorterminals 30, function modules 34, or consumers 14. Additionally, datamanagement system 32 may call one or more function modules 34 to provideparticular functionality according to particular needs, as describedmore fully below. Data management system 32 may include a dataprocessing unit 38, a memory unit 40, a network interface 42, and anyother suitable components for managing data associated with credit cardaccounts. The components of data management system 32 may be supportedby one or more computer systems at one or more sites. One or morecomponents of data management system 32 may be separate from othercomponents of data management system 32; and one or more suitablecomponents of data management system 32 may, where appropriate, beincorporated into one or more other suitable components of datamanagement system 32.

Data processing unit 38 may process data associated with credit card orother credit accounts, which may include executing coded instructions(which may in particular embodiments be associated with one or morefunction modules 34). Memory unit 40 may be coupled to data processingunit 38 and may include one or more suitable memory devices, such as oneor more random access memories (RAMs), read-only memories (ROMs),dynamic random access memories (DRAMs), fast cycle RAMs (FCRAMs), staticRAM (SRAMs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), erasableprogrammable read-only memories (EPROMs), electrically erasableprogrammable read-only memories (EEPROMs), microcontrollers, ormicroprocessors. Network interface 42 may provide an interface betweendata management system 32 and communications network 18, such that datamanagement system 32 may communicate with consumers 14, credit bureaus16, and merchants 22.

Database 36 is a storage vehicle for credit card issuers 12. Database 36may include various information relating to credit card or otheraccounts provided or issued by credit card issuers 12. Such informationmay include account balances, payment due dates and other paymentinformation, account history, consumer information, or any othersuitable information stored by credit card issuers 12.

A function module 34 may provide particular functionality associatedwith handling credit card accounts or handling transactions in whichpayments are made using credit cards. For example, in particularembodiments, a function module 34 may provide functionality associatedwith risk profiling, service interest, service enrollment, credit cardaccount management, billing, or collection. A function module 34 may becalled by data management system 32 (possibly as a result of datareceived from an operator terminal 30 or a consumer 14 viacommunications network 18) and, in response, may provide the particularfunctionality associated with the function module and communicate one ormore results to data processing unit 38 or one or more other suitablecomponents of data management system 32. Data management system 32 maythen use the communicated results to create, modify, or delete one ormore data files associated with one or more credit card accounts,provide data to an operator at operator terminal 30 or consumer 14, orperform any other suitable task. Function modules 34 may be physicallydistributed such that each function module 34, or multiple instances ofeach function module 34, may be located in physical locationsgeographically remote from each other and/or from data management system32.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, function module 34 a is used tocollect, interrogate, analyze, calculate, and/or manipulate informationregarding accounts, including account balances, account history, minimumpayment due, due date, and any other account information. Moreparticularly, function module 34 a is used to determine if a particularconsumer's credit card account is delinquent. Such determination may bemade by querying database 36 which holds such consumer's accountinformation. Function module 34 a may also determine the number of daysthe consumer's credit card account is delinquent (i.e., the number ofdays which have lapsed since the consumer's payment due date by whichminimum payment was not received). Function module 34 a may alsoautomatically collect payment from another account of the consumer, suchas a checking account provided by another financial institution, if theconsumer's credit card account is delinquent by a certain number ofdays. Such number of days which may trigger the automatic collection ofpayment from the consumer's other account may be ten, twenty, thirty, orany other number of days. The consumer's other account from whichautomatic collection is made may be a bank account (i.e., a checking,savings, or investment account) or any other type of account provided bya financial institution or otherwise. The automatic collection ofpayment may occur through an automated clearinghouse. Function module 34a credits the consumer's credit card account by the amount automaticallycollected from the consumer's other account to bring the consumer'scredit card account out of its delinquent status. The automaticcollection of payment from the consumer's other account and subsequentcredit to the consumer's credit card account avoids a negative report or“hit” by the credit card issuer to a credit bureau on behalf of theconsumer for having a past due or delinquent account for a certainperiod of time. For example, in some embodiments a credit card issuermust make a negative report to a credit bureau on behalf of a consumerwhen the consumer's credit card account is delinquent for thirty days.In such cases, the automatic collection of payment may be made wheneverthe consumer's credit card account has been delinquent for a period oftime less than thirty days (i.e., twenty days), in order to avoid thenegative report to the credit bureau. The functions performed byfunction module 34 a may be performed separately or in groups by anyother number of function modules 34.

In particular embodiments, the automatic collection of payment from theconsumer's other account is not undertaken on a recurring basis becausewhen the automatic collection of payment occurs during the time in whichthe consumer's credit card account is delinquent, it brings theconsumer's credit card account out of its delinquent status for thedelinquent period plus the current period. For example, if functionmodule 34 a automatically debits a consumer's checking account after theconsumer's credit card account was delinquent for thirty days, then atthe end of such thirty days the consumer's credit card account would bein good standing. Furthermore, if the consumer then had a thirty-dayperiod in which to make the next payment (thirty days before the nextpayment due date), then an automatic collection of payment for having anaccount thirty days delinquent could not occur for another sixty dayssince the consumer would have thirty days until the next payment was duefollowed by another thirty day period before such automatic collectionof payment occurs. Thus, particular embodiments of the present inventionprovide an automatic collection of payment for a consumer's credit cardaccount that occurs on a non-recurring basis. This is in contrast to atypical recurring basis automatic collection of payment which, forexample, may debit a consumer's bank account every month.

Credit card issuer 12 may offer the automatic collection of payment whenan account is delinquent by a certain time period as a service inexchange for awards, such as points, airline miles, credit lineincreases, or interest rate or fee reductions. A consumer may enroll inthis service when the consumer opens the credit card account or afterhaving the credit card account for a period of time. A fee could also becharged for providing this service to consumers. The service may beprovided for credit card issuer 12 at different times, for example, whena consumer fails to meet a payment due date. The service may also beprovided to a particular type of consumer, for example, a consumer whohas a negative credit history and is therefore deemed more likely tomiss payment due dates.

Automatically collecting payment in this manner provides the consumerwith insurance against negative reports to a credit bureau because ofdelinquent payments. Furthermore, losses by the credit card issuer maybe reduced since the credit card issuer will be able to collect aminimum payment before a consumer's credit rating may be furthernegatively damaged. The credit card issuer may also be able to attractmore consumers who care about their credit future, or better consumers,by providing this service.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating a method for automaticallycollecting payment for a credit account, in accordance with a particularembodiment of the present invention. The method begins at step 100 withdetermining if a particular credit account is delinquent. The creditaccount may be provided by a credit card issuer (i.e., VISA, MASTERCARD,AMERICAN EXPRESS, DINERS, etc.). In particular embodiments, a creditaccount is delinquent when the holder, or consumer, of the creditaccount fails to make a minimum payment by a payment due date. At step102, the number of days the credit account is delinquent is determined.Such number of days may comprise the number of days which have lapsedsince the holder's payment due date by which the minimum payment was notreceived.

At step 104, a first amount is automatically collecting from a firstaccount if the number of days the credit account is delinquent comprisesat least a first number. The first amount may comprise a minimum paymentamount, a previously designated amount or another amount. The firstamount may comprise a sufficient amount to bring the credit account outof delinquency. The first number may comprise ten, twenty, thirty oranother number. For example, in particular embodiments, the first amountmay be automatically collected if the credit account has been delinquentat least twenty days. The first account from which the first amount isautomatically collected may comprise a checking, savings, investment, orother type of account of the holder of the credit account. Automaticallycollecting the first amount from the first account may compriserequesting the first amount from a provider of the first account, suchas a financial institution, through an automated clearinghouse networkand receiving the first amount from the provider of the first accountthrough the automated clearinghouse network.

At step 106, the credit account is credited the first amount. Suchcredit prevents the provider of the credit account (a credit card issuerin particular embodiments) from having to make a negative report or“hit” to a credit bureau on behalf of the holder of the credit account.In some embodiments, the credit account provider may notify the consumerthat the first amount was debited from the first account and that thecredit account was credited such amount.

Although the present invention has been described in detail, variouschanges and modifications may be suggested to one skilled in the art. Itis intended that the present invention encompass such changes andmodifications as falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for automatically collecting payment fora credit account, comprising: identifying a consumer that has a negativecredit history; offering an automatic payment service to the consumer;using one or more computer processors to link the credit account with adeposit account before a credit account delinquency occurs; utilizing adata management system to determine if the credit account is delinquent;determining the number of days the credit account is delinquent after afirst due date; utilizing the data management system to automaticallycollect a first amount from the deposit account if the number of daysthe credit account is delinquent is at least a first number;automatically crediting the credit account the first amount; and if thecredit account is not delinquent after the first due date, setting asecond due date, the second due date occurring after the first due date.2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if a credit account isdelinquent comprises querying a database to determine if a creditaccount is delinquent.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein automaticallycollecting a first amount from a deposit account comprises: requestingthe first amount from a provider of the deposit account through anautomated clearinghouse network; and receiving the first amount from theprovider of the deposit account through the automated clearinghousenetwork.
 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying a holderof the credit account that the deposit account was debited the firstamount and that the credit account was credited the first amount.
 5. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the first amount comprises a minimum paymentamount.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first amount comprises apreviously designated amount.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein thefirst number comprises twenty.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein thefirst number comprises ten.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the firstnumber comprises thirty.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the depositaccount comprises a checking account.
 11. The method of claim 1, whereincrediting the credit account the first amount comprises crediting thecredit account the first amount to bring the credit account out ofdelinquency.
 12. A system for automatically collecting payment for acredit account, comprising: an electronic database to store informationfor a credit account, the information including payment history for thecredit account; and a module to: identify a consumer that has a negativecredit history; offer an automatic payment service to the consumer; linkthe credit account with a deposit account before a credit accountdelinquency occurs; determine if the credit account is delinquent;determine the number of days the credit account is delinquent after afirst due date; automatically collect a first amount from the depositaccount if the number of days the credit account is delinquent is atleast a first number; automatically credit the credit account the firstamount; and if the credit account is not delinquent after the first duedate, set a second due date, the second due date occurring after thefirst due date.
 13. The system of claim 12, wherein a module toautomatically collect a first amount from a deposit account comprises amodule to: request the first amount from a provider of the depositaccount through an automated clearinghouse network; and receive thefirst amount from the provider of the deposit account through theautomated clearinghouse network.
 14. The system of claim 12, the moduleto notify a holder of the credit account that the deposit account wasdebited the first amount and that the credit account was credited thefirst amount.
 15. The system of claim 12, wherein the first amountcomprises a minimum payment amount.
 16. The system of claim 12, whereinthe first amount comprises a previously designated amount.
 17. Thesystem of claim 12, wherein the first number comprises twenty.
 18. Thesystem of claim 12, wherein the first number comprises ten.
 19. Thesystem of claim 12, wherein the first number comprises thirty.
 20. Thesystem of claim 12, wherein the deposit account comprises a checkingaccount.
 21. A non-transitory computer-accessible medium encoded withcomputer program code effective to perform the following: identify aconsumer that has a negative credit history; offer an automatic paymentservice to the consumer; link a credit account with a deposit accountbefore a credit account delinquency occurs; determine if the creditaccount is delinquent; determine the number of days the credit accountis delinquent after a first due date; automatically collect a firstamount from the deposit account if the number of days the credit accountis delinquent is at least a first number; credit the credit account thefirst amount; and if the credit account is not delinquent after thefirst due date, set a second due date, the second due date occurringafter the first due date.
 22. A system for automatically collectingpayment for a credit account; comprising: means for identifying aconsumer that has a negative credit history; means for offering anautomatic payment service to the consumer; means for linking the creditaccount with a deposit account before a credit account delinquencyoccurs; means for determining if the credit account is delinquent; meansfor determining the number of days the credit account is delinquentafter a first due date; means for automatically collecting the firstamount from a deposit account if the number of days the credit accountis delinquent is at least a first number; means for crediting the creditaccount the first amount; and if the credit account is not delinquentafter the first due date, means for setting a second due date, thesecond due date occurring after the first due date.
 23. The system ofclaim 22, wherein means for automatically collecting a first amount froma deposit account comprises: means for requesting the first amount froma provider of the deposit account through an automated clearinghousenetwork; and means for receiving the first amount from the provider ofthe deposit account through the automated clearinghouse network.
 24. Thesystem of claim 22, wherein the first amount comprises a minimum paymentamount.
 25. The system of claim 22, wherein the first number comprisestwenty.
 26. The system of claim 22, wherein the deposit accountcomprises a checking account.
 27. A method for automatically collectingpayment for a credit card account, comprising: identifying a consumerthat has a negative credit history; offering an automatic paymentservice to the consumer; using one or more computer processors to linkthe credit account with a deposit account before a credit accountdelinquency occurs; utilizing a data management system to determine ifthe credit card account is delinquent; determining the number of daysthe credit card account is delinquent after a first due date; utilizingthe data management system to automatically collect a first amount froma checking account if the number of days the credit card account isdelinquent comprises at least twenty, wherein automatically collecting afirst amount from a checking account comprises: requesting the firstamount from a provider of the checking account through an automatedclearinghouse network; and receiving the first amount from the providerof the checking account through the automated clearinghouse network;crediting the credit card account the first amount to bring the creditcard account out of delinquency; and if the credit account is notdelinquent after the first due date, setting a second due date, thesecond due date occurring after the first due date.
 28. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the first amount comprises a minimum payment amount.29. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving an instructionto automatically collect payment from the deposit account if the creditaccount is delinquent.
 30. The method of claim 1, further comprising:preventing notification to a credit bureau that the credit account isdelinquent.
 31. The system of claim 12, the module to receive aninstruction to automatically collect payment from the deposit account ifthe credit account is delinquent.
 32. The system of claim 12, the moduleto prevent notification to a credit bureau that the credit account isdelinquent.
 33. The non-transitory computer-accessible medium of claim21, the computer program code further effective to perform thefollowing: receive an instruction to automatically collect payment fromthe deposit account if the credit account is delinquent.
 34. Thenon-transitory computer-accessible medium of claim 21, the computerprogram code further effective to perform the following: preventnotification to a credit bureau that the credit account is delinquent.35. The system of claim 22, further comprising: means for receiving aninstruction to automatically collect payment from the deposit account ifthe credit account is delinquent.
 36. The system of claim 22, furthercomprising: means for preventing notification to a credit bureau thatthe credit account is delinquent.
 37. The method of claim 27, furthercomprising: receiving an instruction to automatically collect paymentfrom the deposit account if the credit account is delinquent.
 38. Themethod of claim 27, further comprising: preventing notification to acredit bureau that the credit account is delinquent.